Community
Blue Mountain Eagle
Wednesday, October 31, 2018
A7
F OREST HEALTH WORKSHOP
Beetles follow butterflies
By Bob Parker
For the Blue Mountain Eagle
Eagle photos/Angel Carpenter
Julianna Moulton and her grandkids created this smiley friend for the Dayville
Scarecrow Contest, winning first place.
Something to crow about in Dayville
Blue Mountain Eagle
Nineteen creative char-
acters have livened up Day-
ville’s main street this month
for the town’s sixth annual
scarecrow contest.
Winners this year are Juli-
anna Moulton and grandkids,
first; Emma Winkelman, sec-
ond; and Lyndee Biller, third.
City Recorder Ruthie
Moore said they had the most
entries since starting the con-
test in 2012.
“We had quite a few first-
time creators this year,” she
said. “It’s really fun to see
others catch the scarecrow
bug and realize how fun it is
to create these wonderful guys
and gals.”
Emma Winkelman designed this youthful
scarecrow, winning second place in the
Dayville Scarecrow Contest.
Biller, who is expecting,
made a pregnant scarecrow,
and across the street is a father
scarecrow taking a small child
trick-or-treating — on a kid’s
tractor.
“We thank all those who
created a new October res-
ident for our town,” Moore
said. “We love having them
visit.”
Lyndee Biller’s scarecrow, which
placed third, smiles with hands
folded on top of her ‘baby bump.’
Remember the pine butterfly outbreak that
hit Grant County and other parts of the region
from 2009 to 2012? In some of the more heavi-
ly affected areas, such as south and east of Sen-
eca, the clouds of white butterflies looked like
a summertime blizzard, and thousands of acres
of pine forests were heavily defoliated. After
the butterfly populations suddenly crashed, ev-
eryone was relieved that, overall, trees seemed
to recover well and mortality was light.
However, the 2018 aerial survey of tree
mortality has indicated a notable increase in
tree mortality, particularly in those areas that
had experienced the most defoliation.
Dr. Dave Shaw, forest health specialist for
Oregon State University Extension Service,
came to John Day on Oct. 16 to investigate and
lead a forest health tour for interested wood-
land owners. According to Shaw, the pine for-
ests were sucker punched by the prolonged
drought that followed the defoliation event,
greatly exacerbating the stress on trees.
Other conifer tree pests are quick to take
advantage of trees weakened by stress, and in
this case, the western pine beetle (Dendrocto-
nus brevicomis) has really moved in. Usually,
WPB is a relatively low-level problem, com-
pared to its infamous cousin the mountain pine
beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) that has
killed millions of acres of trees across the U.S.
and Canada in recent years. But now we’re see-
ing large numbers of trees killed by the WPB.
Another concern is that there are indica-
tions of a growing Douglas-fir tussock moth
(Orgyia pseudotsugata) population in the same
region where the pine butterfly defoliation was
high. The tussock moth is appearing in the
higher elevation, mixed-conifer forest types,
and we could not find extensive defoliation
on our short tour, but it seems to be building
in numbers and may be more evident by next
year. The tussock moth is typically a short-
term defoliator with populations rising sharply
then dramatically crashing from the combined
effects of parasites, predators, disease and star-
vation, but we’ll have to see how this outbreak
develops.
Contributed photo
Dr. Dave Shaw, forest health specialist
for Oregon State University Extension
Service, led a forest health tour in Grant
County Oct. 16.
Shaw chopped away the bark on some of
the ponderosa trees to reveal the unique spa-
ghetti noodle-like pattern that the WPB leaves
on the surface of the wood by eating away the
cambium layer. But further chopping at ground
level and below revealed a distinct stain in the
wood. Blue stain fungi is common in pine trees
that have been killed by WPB and MPB, low-
ering the commercial wood value, but is a re-
sult, not a cause, of mortality. However, Shaw
expressed concern that this stain resembled
that of the black stain root disease, which is
common in southwestern Oregon but usually
not here. He took some samples to have the
stain positively identified in the lab, and we’re
waiting to hear the results. Stay tuned!
Bob Parker is the Baker and Grant County
Extension forester. For more information about
these and other forest pests, visit fs.fed.us/for-
esthealth/protecting-forest/forest-health-moni-
toring/monitoring-forest-highlights.shtml.
Veterans Deserve Healthy Relationships
Love • Safety • Respect
Dometic Violence Awareness Month
Grant County Veterans Services
530 S Main St. Ste 5, John Day • 541-575-1631t
541-523-6377
541-963-6577
541-573-6377
541-576-2160
84502
Thank You!
The Blue Mountain Healthcare Foundation would like to thank the following
individuals and businesses who donated items to this year's Annual Meeting, Dinner
and Auction held October 20th at the John Day Elks Lodge.
The generosity of our community is amazing and we are truly grateful for each and every
one of you who supported such a great cause! Funds raised are being used to purchase a new
updated nurse call system and a vein finder.
1188 Brewing Company
Aaron & Emily Lieuallen
Adoni’s Pine Massage
AirLink
Ansel & Judy Krutsinger
A Flower Shop & More
April Bieber & Nick Lulay
Bar WB
Blue Mountain Care Center
Blue Mountain Eagle
BMHD Ambulance Department
BMHD Business Office
BMHD Dietary Department
BMHD Home Health
BMHD Medical Records
BMHD Radiology Department
Bob, Denise & Tristan Houser
Brandon Hueckman Contracting
Brandon & Janessa Sickler
Brenda Mosier
Brent & Shawna Clark
Brian & Ali Lenz
Bruce & Kim Ward
Cecil Gagnon
Dan & Chris Cronin
David & Alicia Hall
Derek Daly
Dr. Keith Thomas & Cyndy Fox
Ed Staub & Sons
Gardner Enterprises
Gary & Virginia Miller
Grant County Building Supply
Grant County Fairgrounds
House to Home
Hutch's Printing
Janet Myers
JD Rents
Jeff Meyerholtz
Jeff & Sally Knowles
John Day Eye Care
John Day Parks & Rec
John Day River Vet
John Day True Value
Kimberly Orchards
KJDY
L&L Excavating
Les Schwab Tires John Day
Little Canyon Food Cart
Li Dansa Creations
Malheur Lumber
Mike & Sharri Slinkard
Mobile Glass
Mosiers Home Furnishings
Napa Auto Parts
Nathan McFarland & Rafaella Betza
Nydam's Ace Hardware
Pendleton Round-Up
Prairie Trading Post
Right Lane Ranch
Rose Howe
Snaffle Bit Dinner House
Southworth Brothers
Squeeze-In
Strawberry Wilderness Community Clinic
Stylish 10
Subway
Tanni Wenger Photograhy
The Dowdy Family
Tidewater Contractors
Tim & Tracie Unterwegner
Tom Winters
Trevor & Jena Knowles
Ugly Truth Bar & Grill
Zac & Heather Bailey
“ I don’t think the
benefits would have
been paid if
Greg Walden hadn’t
gotten involved.
Martha
who sought
assistance with
her husband’s
VA benefits.
I’m sure of it.
What he did for me is
something that can
never be replaced.
Greg Walden is one of
the good ones.”
“ Walden’s record on constituent services is a good one, helping residents
of the 2nd District navigate bureaucracies ranging from the Social Security
Administration to the Bureau of Land Management.”
(The Bulletin, 4/21/18)
PAID FOR BY WALDEN FOR CONGRESS, INC.
87255